Season dates and bag limits for Tennessee duck hunters were finalized
last Friday by The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission at its
Nashville meeting.

The commission approved the late waterfowl season proposals made by the
TWRA. One of the biggest changes waterfowl hunters will see this year is
in regard to the youth waterfowl season.

The youth waterfowl season in the Statewide Zone and Reelfoot Zone will
be split into two one-day hunts on consecutive Saturdays, rather than a
Saturday-Sunday format. The dates in 2013 will be Feb. 2 and 9 for youth
ages 6-15.

The other waterfowl seasons will reflect mostly calendar date changes
from recent years. There will again be a 60-day season for 2012-13 duck
hunting, with one split. The season will end Jan. 27, 2013 and a 6-duck
bag limit.

The Statewide Zone duck hunting seasons to be held are Nov. 24-25 and
Dec.1-Jan. 27 while the Reelfoot Zone dates are Nov. 10-11 and Dec.
1-Jan. 27. The seasons will maximize the number of weekends open to duck
hunting and will end on the latest date allowed (the last Sunday in
January).

The number of days allowed for Canada goose hunting seasons has been
extended by six days in each of the zones. The daily bag limit for
Canada goose has also increased to three from two in all zones.

TWRA waterfowl coordinator Tim White said officials report that habitat
conditions in the Prairie Pothole region of the United States and Canada
began with a dry spring, but increased rainfall in Canada this summer
should be a big boost to the broods. He reported that waterfowl harvests
in Tennessee were estimated at almost 198,000 last year.

The TWRA recommendations follow the maximum USFWS frameworks regarding
duck bag limits. A daily bag limit of 6 ducks may include no more than:
4 mallards (no more than 2 of which may be a hen), 3 wood ducks (during
the late waterfowl season only), 4 scaup (an increase of 2 from last
year), 2 pintails, 1 canvasback, and 1 black duck. The daily bag limit
of merganser would be 5, only 2 which may be hooded mergansers.

The maximum number of days allowed within in the federal framework for
goose hunting seasons will be in effect. Goose seasons are set as late
as federal frameworks allow in order to take advantage of any migratory
geese that may be available in late winter.

Season dates for Canada geese are Oct. 13-Oct. 30, Nov. 24-25, and Dec.
1-Jan. 27, 2013 in the Statewide Zone. In the Northwest Zone, the dates
are Oct. 13-16, Nov. 10-11, and Dec. 1-Feb. 10. The daily bag limit is 3
per person.

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